Christmas in October?

The National Basketball Association or NBA as us hoopsters call it (haha) kicked off its regular season two nights ago and this year my feeling going into the basketball season is different.

Actually how I feel about this NBA season is familiar, I just haven’t felt it in sometime.

Over 20 years ago my then young, rather large eyes caught a glimpse of something special of which my ears had already become acquainted. I saw Michael Jordan for the first time do things that I couldn’t believe were possible and I felt that way prior to even attempting to play basketball myself.

Jordan, as I’ve mentioned in the past, fueled my first steps into the game of roundball and as you can tell if you’ve been following along on my journey, MJ continues to do so today.

Back when the only thing keeping me from basketball was grade school, the ending of one NBA season was sealed with a long deep sigh, as it meant I had to wait months before I saw another game.

That also meant that the beginning of the NBA regular season thrilled me like it was Christmas!

In those days, at my parents house, I would flip to the inside page of the sports section daily and see what games were going to be on TV. This was before cable networks had channel lineups for days at the convenience of a remote button. It was even before the internet boom (wow, is that even possible…haha) 😉

The Best Part of Waking Up

This whole week I have leapt out of bed, jumped into some basketball shorts and shoes, thrown on a shirt and gotten to the court by 6:45am to get some shots in.

I ABSOULTELY LOVE IT!!!

Honestly, my shooting hasn’t been going as well as I expected. I made 16 in a row on the first day last Friday and haven’t made more than 14 in a row since. While I have seen my overall shooting confidence go up, the free throw is being a stubborn friend and that’s ok.

It’s ok because I’m having a blast every morning!

Before the Sun decides to stretch itself over the horizon, I am already hoisting one shot after the other. In the peace that is the morning, every sound screams Hallelujah!!!

The ball pressing itself from the concrete court and back to my waiting hands. The sweet sound the chain net makes when I make a shot. The birds chirping (seriously), the small gentle gusts of wind, every car that passes. My Jordans growing familiar roots behind a white line painted 15 feet from the goal.

I hear it all.

Being there on that court truly makes me so happy. I had lost that feeling towards the game.

me vs. MJ, this journey…has brought that back.

Game Time

Later tonight, I will be sitting 14 rows up in the new, plush, home of the Orlando Magic, the Amway Center. It’s game one of the regular season for Orlando in an NBA season that is now just three days old.

It may not be Christmas, but it’s pretty darn close for this 33 year old kid. 😀

Good for you, man- making it happen! The most important part, no matter whether you’re hitting 14, 16, 57 or 100 FTs, is that you (unlike other people who might say they want to) are out there doing it! Keep it up, Kenny. It’s inspiring to watch you pursue this path.

“The ball pressing itself from the concrete court and back to my waiting hands. The sweet sound the chain net makes when I make a shot. The birds chirping (seriously), the small gentle gusts of wind, every car that passes. My Jordans growing familiar roots behind a white line painted 15 feet from the goal.